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Pine Grove Elementary school is taking a huge step into the 21st century. Renovations will be starting April 1st of 2018 as the students com in the last week before April Vacation. What are the overall plans? And the timeline for this 39 Million dollar project? The Triton Voice sat down with pine Grove Principal Christine Kneeland to talk about this huge change coming in the spring.

Kneeland tells The Voice that the structure of the school is staying where it is, but many new things will be fixed and added. “We are getting a new roof, windows, hvac, plumbing systems, new floors, furniture, and now walls will even be coming down,” Says Kneeland. “We’re getting new wiring and technology, basically bringing the building into the 21st century.”

Many of the rooms such as art, music, and the nurses office are being relocated into the north wing. Other renovations include a bigger kitchen that is has more space, and a new all purpose room with a new stage.

The renovation at Pine Grove will be completed in 5 steps, first starting with kitchen and All purpose room, then the north wing, then phase is the upper south wing, followed by the bottom south wing, the east wing and the playground will be finished in summer of 2019. The students will still be attending school during the renovation, many of the 1st through 3rd grade teachers and their students will move their classrooms up to four times during the process.

“Overall it’s a 16 month project from April 2018 to early September in 2019,” said Kneeland. “We have meetings once every 3 weeks to talk about the project and plan everything out. “We have been doing these for two years.”

The project costs about $39 million and is partnered with the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The MSBA is funding half of the project from a grant program through the state, while the town will pay for the rest. This was voted on last spring by the town of Rowley.

Many of the staff members have been waiting for this change for a long time. The voice interviewed some of the office staff for their opinion on upcoming renovation. “Excited, happy, nervous, I definitely feel all of these ways,” Said receptionist Karen Dion “We really need this renovation.” Sue True Secretary of Administration told The Voice “It’s time we have a change here at Pine Grove.”

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